Nebo Education Foundation Inspires Teachers April 2018

Submitted by lana.hiskey on

Nebo Education Foundation board members meet each month to review and award grant requests, consider fund-raising avenues, and other items that advance the educational opportunities for Nebo School District students. The Nebo Education Foundation functions through generous donations made by individuals and businesses.

Stacy Nance, vice president said, “It's exciting to be a part of an organization that improves the learning opportunities for our kids in Nebo School District. With tremendous support of local businesses and giving citizens, the Nebo Education Foundation can provide resources to teachers to enhance the quality of education for our kids in the classroom. Everyone wins when the kids benefit.”

Congratulations to the following teachers that continue to bless the minds of students.

Westside Elementary – Susan Crook
Susan Crook, sixth-grade teacher at Westside Elementary, said, “Technology is such an integral part of STEM education. I am currently implementing STEM teaching practices in my classroom and have been challenged with the lack of available student access to technology. Over the past few years I have been actively building a classroom set of Chromebooks for my students to use throughout the day by applying for and being awarded several Donors Choose grants. I am so appreciative of the additional five Chromebooks I have been awarded by the Nebo Education Foundation. I am so close now to having a classroom set. This is extremely exciting to my students as they will have continual access to these technology tools. Thank you for your generous donation to my students and STEM education!”

Hobble Creek Elementary – Michael-Ann McAfee
Michael-Ann McAfee, third-grade teacher, said, “We are so grateful for the matching grant from the Nebo Education Foundation. Our grant has allowed us to purchase one class set of computer mice and headphones to accompany the grade level Chromebook cart. In third grade, navigating websites, typing documents and utilizing program functions was extremely difficult and frustrating without a mouse. Some programs like MYON or Prodigy require sound. The headphones and mice have made those educational programs and several others more accessible and user-friendly for our eight and nine year old students. As we practiced for SAGE testing on Chromebooks, having both items was essential to student success. Thank you so much for your generous gift to Hobble Creek third graders.”

Mapleton Junior – Melissa Heaton
Melissa Heaton, English teacher at Mapleton Junior, said, “A big thank you to the Nebo Education Foundation for their generous donation and to MJHS administration for their support. I'm excited to be able to purchase Breakout EDU Kits for my classroom! My students will love the high interest breakout kits as academically focused escape rooms. I'm looking forward to using the breakout kits to further learning objectives as well as improve my students' critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration skills. Who says that learning cannot be fun? Thank you! Thank you!”

Mapleton Junior – Wade Schaffer
“We will be using the grant to buy 17 Spikeball sets for our Physical Education Department at Mapleton Junior High School. With the grant, we will be able to buy enough sets so that entire PE classes will be able to play at the same time. Students will have more opportunities to play and less time waiting in lines when they are given their own individual set. Adding a Spikeball unit to our curriculum at MJHS will be meaningful because it is another option for kids that do not enjoy more traditional sports such as Basketball, Volleyball or soccer. As a PE teacher I want to expose my students to as many sports as possible so that they can find at least one that they will enjoy and use for exercise. Spikeball will help us in that goal and will be a tremendous asset to our school. Thank you for your support!” exclaimed Wade Schaffer, physical education teacher at Mapleton Junior.

Mapleton Junior – Cami Burton
Cami Burton, special education teacher at Mapleton Junior, said, “While working on my masters at Brigham Young University in special education, my research was focused on the use of technology to enhance opportunities for students with disabilities to access the core curriculum. Through my research and my thesis study I have seen first-hand the powerful impact that technology can have in the classroom. We will be using the money so we can purchase chromebooks to have a classroom set and be able to incorporate them more fully in our learning. We will be using the chromebooks to assist in our mathematics, English, science, life and social skills classes and as greater access the core curriculum. The students will be given assignments through the chromebooks and will also be able to participate in classroom activities more fully with the chromebooks. We have also set up our peer tutor program on google classroom and will be using the chrome books as a way to complete weekly trackers and peer tutor assignments.”

Brookside Elementary – Mijken Hall
"Thank you, thank you, thank you to the Nebo Education Foundation! With the grant I was awarded, I was able to double my teacher supply money! I will be able to purchase laminating pouches and velcro to make durable materials, learning toys and age and interest appropriate books! I am always amazed at the generosity of the Foundation Members. Thanks to all those who have donated! And thank you to those who chose my classroom to be the recipient of this generous grant!” exclaimed Mijken Hall, special Education teacher at Brookside Elementary.

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